If you have suffered cardiovascular problems after taking Tasigna chemotherapy drug for chronic myeloid leukemia, you could benefit from speaking with a Tasigna lawyer.

Novartis makes Tasigna, which made $1.7 billion for the drug company in 2016 alone.

Approved in 2007, the chemotherapy medication allegedly can cause atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries. Novartis warned patients in other countries about the possibility of this side effect, but the U.S. was kept in the dark until years later.

Atherosclerosis is marked by swelling of the arteries, which can restrict blood flow. When the arteries are clogged, narrowed and swollen, the blood doesn’t flow as regularly and as completely as it should to the brain, heart, arms and legs. Over time, the patient can develop cardiovascular issues that lead to limb amputation or even death.

When the arteries so narrow that symptoms begin to manifest, the condition is called peripheral arterial disease, known as PAD.

Symptoms of PAD include painful muscle cramps that affect the hips, thighs or calves when attempting to climb stairs, exercise, or sometimes, just walk. According to the American Heart Association, cramping is the way the muscles warn the body that not enough blood is flowing through the body to meet the increased demand of the movement.

Other symptoms of PAD can include:

• Wounds on the foot or toe that have difficulty healing
• Gangrene
• A large decrease in the temperature of one leg’s foot or lower part of the leg compared to the other leg or the rest of the body
• Inhibited nail growth on the toes or hair growth on the legs
• Erectile dysfunction, particularly in men with diabetes

A Tasigna lawyer can show that the medication caused PAD.

Tasigna has been linked to atherosclerosis in a dozen studies published in medical journals throughout the world. The first study published in 2011 found one-fourth of Tasigna patients developed vascular problems. An additional 16 percent of Tasigna patients were diagnosed with PAD.

The FDA required Novartis to add a warning that Tasigna could cause atherosclerosis in 2013. At that time, the FDA had conducted a postmarket review that also found Tasigna was linked to PAD, and more specifically, to PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease).

Tasigna Lawyer Can Help You Seek Compensation

If you or a loved one have suffered any of these Tasigna adverse effects, a Tasigna lawyer could help you seek compensation:

• Atherosclerosis
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Coronary artery disease
• Circulatory problems of the extremities, heart or brain
• Embolic occlusion
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Infection
• Amputation
• Death

You could have a legal claim that could allow you to receive compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and other repercussions of Tasigna’s side effects. A Tasigna lawyer can ensure you receive the maximum monetary relief available to you and your family.